Tag Archives: Etsy Coaches

For Love or Money?

Posted on by
Reply

Maybe somewhere in-between? On a spectrum, perhaps?

I know nothing about Etsy. Honest, I swear. I am no expert on Etsy. High Spirits Divine has been open for just a smidge over 3 years, technically, although I really didn’t get working on it in earnest for about 6 months after I opened it. I am no “six figure” Etsy seller, not by a long shot.

I am, however, a self-taught expert on Etsy “experts.” I have spent hours and hours watching YouTube Etsy how-to content, for better and more often, for worse. There are some truly atrocious “coaches” out there, many of whom make me wonder if teaching on YouTube is a more lucrative business than Etsy itself.

Which it was, or at least in recent history it has been. In 2020 when everyone was stuck at home, there was a massive increase in the number of people shopping online, including Etsy. First, because there was no choice. You couldn’t shop out in the real world for a bit, and even when you could, many of us (myself included) were too paranoid to be in a crowded (more than two people I don’t know is crowded, lol) store. Second, the world was FAREEEEAAAAAKKKINNNNG out. Being stuck in the house and isolated was an ideal dream to me, but a lot of people didn’t take the isolation well at all. They needed a fix; a little something to make their lives better, even just momentarily. That rush, the dopamine hit, was what they needed, just to get through the day sometimes.

The Etsy shops that were already open were raking it in. Both the ones that pivoted to making cloth masks as well as the ones that didn’t. The “Etsy Gurus” that came out like a rash in 2020/2021 are the ones that saw that writing on the wall first: Teach people how the instant gratification of a convenient POD shop works and tell them they can be MILLIONAIRES. BOOM! Next thing you know, they’re selling outrageously overpriced lessons and “coaching,” and making their own millions hand-over-fist.

That’s not to say that all Etsy Coaches are like that. They are definitely not, any more than all Etsy sellers are like that. But from the outside, it can be damn difficult to tell one from the either in either category. Which is why I ask, “for love or money,” because it’s really hard for the average shopper to know the difference, and some of them don’t even care, 🫤much in the same way that some shoppers can’t tell really bad AI slop or Chinese dropshippers or again, don’t care. For that matter, there are sellers who don’t care either. Which sucks.

The sellers who create for love have a hobby, an art, a craft, that they’re really good at. They’ve given them as gifts, sold things at craft shows, and they’re ready for that next step. They love their craft, whatever that is…yarn work, painting, ceramics, jewelry, all of it, any of it. They come to the table with a product. They love making it, they’re good at it, and that’s what they want to show the public.

The sellers for money don’t care what they sell. They don’t care what it means or if it means anything at all. They want the easiest product available. You will find them the most in AI-accepting groups because they are inclined to use nothing but. The more automated their business, the better. They’ll use it to decide a niche that will sell, design a product that will sell, create the products that will sell, the pictures to sell the product that it’s made to sell, the entire listing for the product it made, and the advertising to get the business to the site, with as little actual effort on their own part as possible. They’ll often be found making over-done t-shirts with something “Mama” on it, with the latest cutesy trends…racoons, stripes, capybaras…whatever. They don’t care as long as it sells and they get a Porche or whatever.

I’m in the middle. I am definitely doing this for love, even though my products involve the use of AI as well as POD. I am a definite oddity out there, let me tell you. Which is why I noticed this so early on in my Etsy journey. It began to really get to me when I started looking for some sort of new Etsy community. Most of the communities that are accepting (or even promoting) AI and POD are for money, and most of the ones for handmade vendors who are doing Etsy for love are excessively anti-AI, as well as moderately anti-POD. I am also extremely control-oriented; I would never let any computer AI make decisions for me. They are tools. I make the decisions, not them, but I’ll use them for the menial work. Which is why I’m the odd woman out

When I realized that YouTube was only going to get me so far, I decided to select a coach. I had it down to a top five, one was definitely more for hand-made creations although the coaches themselves did POD, so they did have an understanding of and acceptance of that type of product creation. The others had clear-cut “plans” how to make six-figures a year…blah, blah, blah. Now, let me say that not all of them are scammers. There are many money-centered coaches who seem to me, at least, to have a serious interest in helping people to establish businesses on Etsy that theoretically will make money. The problem to me, is more about what it is they want you to do to get it. Don’t worry, I’ll get there. 😉

For my part, the decision at the time was exceptionally easy. I went with the coaches who had given me the MOST information for free on YouTube. Not the same nonsense over-and-over, and not straight out of the Etsy Sellers’ Handbook…although nothing that contradicted it, either. There was another important factor; they had already coached several different witchy sellers, and were in subcultures who are very comfortable with that as well as many I’m comfortable with myself. I knew they’d have some sort of idea of my customer base or my “niche” as they like to call it. Considering my desire to be all one person complete, this was a Gods-Send! In addition, they were the most sincere, the most empathetic, and at least performatively, the most considerate and friendly. These were my coaches. I signed up. I’ve never regretted that.

When I started having trouble with acceptance I wasn’t mad at them or anyone, really. Everyone has the right to their opinion, and it’s the Coaches’ space, not mine. They could incubate whatever kind of community they liked. I’d already been dealing with the occasional snarky comment about POD after all. This was different, though. I was more than just a little uncomfortable. People who hate AI also hate the people who use it, and honestly are as rabid as Evangelical Christians trying to convert any non-believer, or MAGAts coming into a progressive thread just to bully. That is why I did a quick exit, hoping I could go back after it all blew over eventually.

I’ve apparently made some progress in therapy as at their last live I couldn’t hold a damn thing in, and I spoke up. I’m all good with my coaches now, not sure about the community, but at least I’m speaking up and I’m not lost atm. Its progress.

However, in between the occurrences, I started re-examining what coaches are out there in YouTube University, and I noticed the differences. I did find a few very earnest, sincere, and honest POD/AI Coaches. One in particular I’m still thinking about simply because I have no practical graphic arts education, and would like a professional eye to look at my designs. My coach doesn’t touch that; they help you sell what you’ve already designed, but don’t tell you what to do. Which is a good way to spot the difference between love and money; for the money coaches will gladly and without question tell you what to sell. Blow by blow, even. Its all part of their plan. So if that’s what you’re looking for, they’re perfect. 

Thing is, for me, I’m not normal. I’m doing this out of my own love for the Spirits, and doing this all at their direction. Not the products so much as the images, or at least that’s what most are particular about at the moment. Who knows what tomorrow will bring! AI is the way I can do that. Would I like to be a millionaire? Sure, who wouldn’t? Billionaire? Excessive, but I think about my friends and family, and the world at large and what I could do with that money…so yeah, I’d take it for sure. But I don’t expect it. I’d like to make a decent living off of it, enough to at least give us some comfort as we get older. Health care being what it is, and the government being what it is, we’re going to need money to take care of ourselves unless something changes drastically. Especially as my we both have physical restrictions and my husband is only working part time at the moment. Yeah, we kind of need some money.

Right now, I’m breaking even, and that’s a perfectly fine start for me in what’s essentially my second year in business. The rest will come with time. I’m not in that much of a hurry. Yet.

Well, I’m personally useless as an Etsy coach, and that’s fine with me. I don’t think I’d want the headache! However, I’m seriously thinking of reviewing the Etsy Coaches. That’s something I haven’t seen out there, and something I think the community at large could really use. I might have to do it without using their real names, some of them are…well, one in particular is a bit lawsuit-happy. Most of them are in the US, and everyone knows how we loooooooooooooove litigation~! 🙄

Its about time, I think, we talk about this.

I am My Own Worst Enemy. Again.

Posted on by
Reply

Last August, I started a store on Etsy. I’ve been making jewelry and other beaded crafts forever, and I thought, “why not?” I’d started making jewelry again, just for myself after a very long break. I was burned out. Not from the store, but from the additional drama and stupid emotional decisions I’d made while there.

Like I said in the title, again.

Having learned all those lessons and more, and having started my therapy jewelry, I started to believe I was healthy enough to at least wear my artwork. And I am. But selling it?

I’m in the middle of it now, so there’s no easy way of going back. 🙃

I didn’t go into this Etsy thing blind. I started, as most people do these days I suppose, with YouTube. I found a variety of Etsy “coaches,” each one having their own view on how to do Etsy “right.” Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of HORRIBLE “coaches” on YouTube. Especially post-pandemic. During the pandemic, you could throw almost anything up on Etsy and it would magically sell. Many self-appointed gurus took that and ran with it, making more money off of telling people how to make 100,000 a year off of Print-on-Demand.

Ummm…no. No, thanks.

Luckily, I wasn’t looking for a get-rich-quick scheme, so I avoided the worst of them. But I did find three potentially good coaches right away, and several I was keeping an eye on because they were still very “young” in YouTube terms. Good, but unproven. The coach I finally settled on had so much free content that I was flabbergasted. I learned so much just watching her free how-to videos. Not only that, but as I’m not Christian, she was obviously more accepting and understanding of the niche I’d intended to go into.

Somewhere between absorbing everything I could from her free content, and finally taking the dive into taking her course, I went from thinking I had the gist of SEO and believing I was awful at it, it was no good, and I sucked.

Self-esteem is one of my worst problems. Sigh

In that same space, I started to understand the POD world. I had started a Canva account because it was recommended by the Coaches, to use for the Etsy banner, and social media posts. I had begun getting arthritis in my fingers, and this was a different kind of creation that I could do and use different parts of my hands, at least.

  • One of the newer POD items; my very own Hekate design on a pendulum mat (mouse pad, lol). I’m pretty proud of this one!

I also started learning the fine art of resin pouring. 😉When I get some decent photos of those pieces, I’ll share them here first!

I also took a photo course through another coach who is AMAZING, that I learned of from my Etsy Coaches. Extra bonus points!

But…

There I was, about two months before my second Q4 go around. The first go round, I made…0. Nada. Zilch. I was hopeful that this Q4 would be better. And it was. Probably not as good as it could have been if I hadn’t absolutely given up on my SEO and just not added any at all. On 254 listings. Ouch.

If you don’t know what SEO is, it stands for Search Engine Optimization. My best explanation of it is that those are the sweet little words that people looking for what I’ve got use to search for it. If I have the same words the customers are using, then it’s a match and you’ll probably find me. If not, well, the chances anyone will find me are slim and none. Right.

Panic stricken, I started to add SEO and wouldn’t you know it? The same SEO I was using before landed my listings on the “front page” according to Erank. In other words, I was using the right SEO and didn’t know it. I had stopped adding SEO for no apparently good reason at all. I just didn’t have faith in myself.

I was still in panic mode, though. I had not only SEO for 254 listings to do but also had to create photos for 254 listings. At least 5 per listing. 254 times 5…

1270 photos.

Needless to say, I did not get it all done by the start of Q4. In fact, it’s still not all done. I’m finally okay with that. I let it go.

I did have better sales this year than last year, which isn’t surprising at all. I’m sure I could have done even better with SEO on everything, and I will get there. I don’t yet rely on this income, so I have some time. With the economy as it is now, I wasn’t even really expecting much. There’s nothing I make currently that would be necessary for anyone’s existence. Some of us are walking that line, and I get that.

The other contributing problem I encountered was my programming from Corporate America. Let’s face it, we’re trained from early on to work harder and faster, harder and faster, with less and less. This is my business. I’m the boss and the only employee. It’s not about doing things fast and getting them done “good enough.” It’s about doing it well, making things people will love that I can be proud of, and taking my time doing it right, not fast.

The SEO will get done when the SEO gets done. I’m committed to doing one or two, maybe even three listings a day, at a minimum. That’s enough. The rest of the time I can then commit to things like making new things, marketing, taking the best pictures I can, and customer service which means a LOT to me. 😎 I can honestly say that so far I’ve got the best customers on earth, EVER.

Oh, and I can finally get around to starting that email list I keep meaning to get to!

Therapy is working. I’m an old dog, but I’m learning some new tricks. I’m onto myself, too. When I approach something and feel like I just can’t do it right, I need to stop and think. Is it all in my head, or is there something to it? I really need to make friends with myself. I think that’s one of my major lessons to conquer in therapy.